Comments for How to get fluent, with Dr Popkins

Comment on Why they won’t stop speaking English and how to keep the conversation “foreign” by Dr Popkins

Dr Popkins — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 20:55:32 +0000

In reply to Lisa Lyons. A very neat solution, Lisa. Thanks for sharing.

Comment on Why they won’t stop speaking English and how to keep the conversation “foreign” by Lisa Lyons

Lisa Lyons — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 20:53:44 +0000

A few years ago in Madrid, I was talking with a university student. At some point, he switched to English (whether he knew that that was my native language or just figured it was a safe bet that I at least spoke it, I don’t know), but I stayed in Spanish. So we had a fun little dual-language conversation. It isn’t his job to help me practice my Spanish, but I don’t have to switch to English just b/c he does, was my thought process.

Comment on Why they won’t stop speaking English and how to keep the conversation “foreign” by Dr Popkins

Dr Popkins — Wed, 06 May 2026 20:53:25 +0000

In reply to Jonathan.

Thanks for sharing your experience, Jonathan. When I first lived in Germany in the 90s, I used to joke that it was 40 DM an hour to speak English with me. I also thought, like you, that “hey, I’ve made the effort to move here, you move to an English-speaking country if you want to speak English.” In my experience with German, once you reach a high enough level, it stops happening. I think that in the earlier stages a good accent can also work to make native speakers more likely to stay in their language. Your wife’s approach avoids “the language” becoming the topic of conversation / source of tension and it just resolves itself. Either they “retreat” or the exchange continues with each speaking the other’s language.

Comment on Why they won’t stop speaking English and how to keep the conversation “foreign” by Jonathan

Jonathan — Wed, 06 May 2026 20:35:57 +0000

I really enjoyed reading about your experiences and the follow up comments. I have lived in Madrid, Spain on and off for 30 years but in the last few years I’ve decided to invest a lot of time and money in improving my Spanish. While it’s not perfect I feel I outperform many Spanish people especially when it comes to putting pen to paper, understanding contracts, legal language and complex terminology as well discussing such information which we often need to do. Here in our neighbourhood we are well known and people always address us in Spanish. We will soon move to the coast and while I’m excited to relocate to the beach I’m worried about the constant need by many Spaniards to practice their English. As an international teacher I’ve deferred to Spanish speakers when working aboard as well as in Spain simply because we have worked in an English speaking environment. However, now I’m retired I plan to speak Spanish to Spanish people as I’ve become a little fed up with Spaniards looking for a free English class, which is one of my pet peeves, as I’ve always felt that you should relocate to an English speaking country or at least take lessons if you want to improve your English. I was interested in the fact that when you were confronted by people looking to speak English you continued to speak to them in the language of the country you were in and eventually won them over. My wife who often gets mistaken for a Spaniard also uses the same strategy. She’s polite, not forceful and talks with a gentle voice, but doesn’t deviate from speaking Spanish when it’s obvious the other person want to speak in English, and I feel that is probably the best approach.

Comment on The Goethe-Institut German B1 exam explained by Pegah

Pegah — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:19:28 +0000

I recently passed my German B1 exam and honestly I kept my preparation very simple: I focused only on vocabulary and grammar.

What helped me most was using two small apps consistently every day—one just for B1 vocabulary (around 1000 essential words) and one for grammar practice. No complicated courses, just repetition and daily use.

Good luck to everyone preparing for the exam!

Comment on Hello and Goodbye in German: quick guide to the key words and phrases by Indian school

Indian school — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 05:55:17 +0000

Very helpful and easy to understand! Greetings and farewells are the first things anyone learns, and you’ve explained them in a clear and practical way. Great post for beginners!

Comment on My Russian TRKI 3rd certificate results: insights for your advanced language exam preparations by Dr Popkins

Dr Popkins — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 13:30:07 +0000

In reply to Anna.

Privet, Anna! The pdfs of the past papers are available when one clicks the TRKI link on the page I was linking to. I’ve now updated the link in the post above to one page “deeper” on the site – straight to the page with the TRKI past paper links. Here’s the new link again: https://testingcenter.spbu.ru/ru/ekzameny/russia/trki.html. Udachi! Gareth

Comment on My Russian TRKI 3rd certificate results: insights for your advanced language exam preparations by Anna

Anna — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 13:02:40 +0000

In reply to Gareth. hiii i cant find the official examples through the link. could you please specify where exactly in the website i can find them? i couldn't find them even after pressing on the TRKI section..

Comment on How to remember the gender of Welsh nouns and when it matters by Dr Popkins

Dr Popkins — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 22:11:37 +0000

In reply to Ian Gordon. Thanks Ian, I'll sort this out!

Comment on How I learned Welsh…and you can too by Dr Popkins

Dr Popkins — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 22:11:16 +0000

In reply to Christopher B. You'll find Welsh a breeze after Chinese, Christopher. I'm still a fan of having a traditional language course (online, digital or as a book), that you can either work through or dip in and out of for reference. Either from Teach Yourself or the Routledge Colloquials series, for example. Make sure you get the audio as well. SaysomethinginWelsh appeals to a lot of people, but it's audio only. Crazy to think you can listen to Radio Cymru in Australia. When I started learning in Oxford in the 1980s, a hundred miles (or less?) from the Welsh border, my FM radio couldn't pick up Radio Cymru.